


Jim's Rules for Dating Amber Larkin

by wneleh



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Episode: s04e18 Iceman, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 06:59:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wneleh/pseuds/wneleh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blair can date whomever he wants, but if he’s going to be bringing Amber Larkin home, there’ve got to be some ground rules set.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jim's Rules for Dating Amber Larkin

**Author's Note:**

> Written as SentinelAngst dues. Thanks, Annie, for suggesting I look to Iceman for inspiration! I think that episode has more to give.

I know I can be pretty judgmental. But Blair can date a prostitute –

Okay, okay, an ex-prostitute, or, I guess ‘ex-escort’… No, that’s completely unpronounceable… Ex-call girl? Ex-working-girl? I like that. Not crude. Except, maybe it is? Hell if I know.

Working girl it is. Ex-working girl – Whatever.

What I need to tell Blair is that he can date whomever he wants, but if he’s going to be bringing Amber Larkin home, there’ve got to be some ground rules set.

Number one. No mentioning her work – former work – around Stevie’s kids. (Has it really been three years since I saw Stevie? What’s the chance this is ever, ever going to be an issue?)

Number two… what was I thinking earlier? Oh, yeah. I want her to have a blood draw. (Has she actually had more partners than either of us? I didn’t sense anything communicable… anyway, instituting a blood test rule might not be a bad idea, but do we really need to start with Amber?)

Okay, here’s one. Number three. Or maybe two. No flirting with any of the other guys. (Would Amber do that? Hell, Blair’s flirtier than she is.)

Okay, okay, HERE’S something that needs to be a rule. If she’s with anyone else other than Blair, she needs to shower before coming over, because I DO NOT need to be smelling Desperate Male in my apartment. (Well, more Desperate Male than the two of us…)

But… shit, what will I do if she does resume – um, working – and Blair doesn’t twig to it? Do I tell him? Do I confront her? Do I beat up her clients? 

This is a classic ask-Blair, isn’t it? Rats, not really ideal in this case.

No way around it, though. Okay, rule one is, Blair and I need to talk about expectations and potential stumbling blocks ASAP. Nice and maturely. Yeah, that’s the right, the adult thing to do.

And here’s Blair now. 

“We have to talk, Chief.”

“I promise, I’ll pick up more orange juice tomorrow.”

“No, no, about your dating Amber Larkin. We need to talk about some pitfalls, how we’ll deal with me maybe knowing certain things about her before you might, that sort of thing.”

“No worries, man, we’re not dating.”

“Okay, maybe you wouldn’t call it dating, because that implies actual dates, right? So let’s call it, ‘seeing each other.’ As long as you’re seeing Amber…”

“I’m not going to be seeing Amber. Dating her. Hooking up, like the incoming Frosh are saying. Period, exclamation point. Am I clear?”

“Blair, I…”

“Sorry, man, I don’t mean to sound hostile, just, you know, I don’t need you lecturing me about who I should date.”

“I’m fine with you dating Amber! I just thought…”

“You’re fine with it? That’s – that’s pretty strange, man, because I’m not.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know… maybe it’s just, I don’t think I could teach her much.”

“Sandburg!”

“Okay, I’m messing with you.” (Pause.) “I don’t know, just, when she stopped being a damsel in distress, I stopped being interested.” (Another pause.) “Gosh, man, at first I was thinking, how do I explain dating her to you? Now I have to explain not dating her?”

“Just… judgmental doesn’t suit you.”

“Sheesh, Jim, maybe I just don’t want to date a prostitute, okay?”

“Ex. And that’s a pretty pejorative term, don’t you think?”

“The hell? This really bothers you, doesn’t it?”

Great, now he’s looking at me.

“I’m not holding her past against her, Jim.”

“Aren’t you?”

“I’d give her a ride home anytime, paint her fence, feed her cat. Whatever. But I’m just not attracted to her, at least right now. That’s all I’m saying. Don’t go generalizing, or projecting, or whatever.”

“Who’s projecting?”

“Right, Jim. No projection here, nope.”


End file.
